This poem, based jointly on my experience and the unique history of the Angel's Flight railway, is written experimentally, in the format of an abecedarian poem, acrostic in nature. This type of poetry is defined as: "Abecedarian poems consist of verses wherein the first letter of each line is a letter of the alphabet in succession. Abecedarian poetry traces back its roots to as early as the biblical period. Thus, the earliest forms of abecedarian poems can be found in the Hebrew Bible" (wordwool.com).
A lift to modest heights.
Bunker hill awaits at the precipice.
Cars ornate and historic.
Downtown's heritage in [mostly] working order.
Earnestly plodding along the shortest such path.
Funicular in design, in orientation.
Grandiose in name and symbolic significance.
Harboring ordinary residents, transit enthusiasts, and tourists alike.
Imagine a celestial carriage soaring heavenwards.
Jerking in sudden bursts along a predefined path.
Knees shake in nervous suspense, giving way to ecstatic relief.
Los Angeles in its preeminent, premodern form.
Moreland cherished this priceless antiquity.
Noir is at home here.
Olivet is the name bestowed upon half of a pair.
Pershing square is the heart of the city set below.
Quaint are the vivid shades of orange and black.
Revered for its niche in the local cultural fabric.
Skyscrapers frame the scene.
Time has rendered the brief journey obsolete for practical purposes.
Urban renewal nearly claimed another casualty.
Vaunted is the legacy of this landmark.
Worrisome it may seem as both cars seem to hurdle straight at each other.
Xerophilous in the midst of unforgiving LA summers.
Yet prone to accidents, hardship, and routine maintenance that comes with age.
Zenith refers to a terminus after 96 feet of ascension.
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